The Nearness of You
Louis & Ella Lyrics


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It's not the pale moon that excites me
That thrills and delights me, oh no
It's just the nearness of you

It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
It's just the nearness of you
When you're in my arms
And I feel you so close to me
All my wildest dreams come true

I need no soft lights
To enchant me
If you'll only grant me
The right to hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night the nearness of you

It's not the pale moon that excites me
That thrills and delights me, oh no
It's just the nearness of you

It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
Yes, just the nearness of you

When you're in my arms
And I feel you so close to me
All my wildest dreams come true

I need no soft lights
To enchant me
If you'll only grant me
The right to hold you ever so tight, yeah baby
And to feel in the night the nearness of you

When you're in my arms
And I feel you so close to me
All my wildest dreams come true

I need no soft lights
To enchant me
If you'll only grant me




The right to hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night the nearness of you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of “The Nearness of You” by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald speak about the power of intimacy and closeness in a relationship. The singer emphasizes that it is not external factors such as the pale moon or sweet conversation that excite and thrill him, but rather the nearness or physical closeness of his partner. He desires to hold his partner tight at night and feel the nearness of their body.


The lyrics express how being physically close to someone can fulfill all one's wildest dreams, and how the singer is enchanted by their partner's mere presence. The message of this song is that closeness and intimacy are crucial in building a strong, fulfilling relationship. It shows that physical touch and the power of being present with someone can have a tremendous impact, far beyond words or external circumstances.


Overall, "The Nearness of You" celebrates the beauty of physical intimacy and the connection it creates between two people. The song suggests that this feeling is most essential in a relationship's success and that a true connection can arise from the nearness of another person.



Line by Line Meaning

It's not the pale moon that excites me
The sight of the moon is not what exhilarates me


That thrills and delights me, oh no
That makes my heart race and brings me joy, no, it's not


It's just the nearness of you
It's simply being close to you


It isn't your sweet conversation
Your words are not what causes this feeling


That brings this sensation, oh no
That makes me feel this way, no, it's not


Yes, just the nearness of you
Yes, it's only the closeness between us


When you're in my arms
When you're held in my embrace


And I feel you so close to me
And I sense your presence so near


All my wildest dreams come true
All of my deepest desires are fulfilled


I need no soft lights
I don't require a dimly lit environment


To enchant me
To captivate me


If you'll only grant me
If you'll allow me to have


The right to hold you ever so tight
The permission to embrace you very closely


And to feel in the night the nearness of you
And to sense your closeness, especially at night




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@kpr21c

Its not the pale moon that excites me
That thrills and delights me, oh no
Its just the nearness of you

It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
Its just the nearness of you

When you're in my arms
and I feel you so close to me
All my wildest dreams come true

I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you'll only grant me the right
To hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night
the nearness of you.



@adindabhadrika

It's not the pale moon that excites me
That thrills and delights me, oh no
It's just the nearness of you

It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
It's just the nearness of you

When you're in my arms
And I feel you so close to me
All my wildest dreams come true

I need no soft lights
To enchant me
If you'll only grant me
The right to hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night the nearness of you

It's not the pale moon that excites me
That thrills and delights me, oh no
It's just the nearness of you

It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
Yes, just the nearness of you

When you're in my arms
And I feel you so close to me
All my wildest dreams come true

I need no soft lights
To enchant me
If you'll only grant me
The right to hold you ever so tight, yeah baby
And to feel in the night the nearness of you

When you're in my arms
And I feel you so close to me
All my wildest dreams come true

I need no soft lights
To enchant me
If you'll only grant me
The right to hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night the nearness of you



All comments from YouTube:

@Poopaloo55

Our first dance at our wedding in '88. The song said it all then and it still works...24 years this month and counting...

@theanimalproject5011

How is 34 years going?

@nosotrosyeas8949

@@theanimalproject5011 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

@erikxs

Congratiulation! 🎉

@cyrillefrei8656

​@@theanimalproject5011 rgfgk0d

@cyrillefrei8656

​@@erikxs t

1 More Replies...

@stanmans

She’s in heaven now and teaching the angels how to sing.
Ella is the definition of perfection. The greatest
musical thrill for me was watching and listening to her in concert many years ago.

@olebirgerpedersen

I heard her in Nizza many years ago and still to day I listen to her with great plesure.

@leonarddonald2093

I saw her at the Fairmont in San Francisco

@lalarandela

This is very good, too: https://youtu.be/dG7wbUhKENM?si=7lCP4eijOPhEs-Ax

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